Lighting fixture



Dec. 18, 1962 M. M. THOMSEN ETAL 3,0 9,

LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Oct. 6, 1960 \-i k i I 38 MAX M. THOMSEN ERNESTG.JOHNSON INVENTORS BY C ATTORN Y Unite rates area 541 HGH'EHNG FEXTUREMax M. Thomsen, Moundsviiie, W. Va, and Ernest G. Johnson, St.Clairsviiie, Ohio, assignors to Syivania Eiectric Products Inc, acorporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 6, 196%, Ser. No. 66,831 1 Ciaim.(Cl. 24t)147) This invention relates to the manufacture of lightingfixtures and more particularly to the manufacture of lighting fixturesfor elongated, linear light sources, such as fluorescent lamps forexample.

In the manufacture of lighting fixtures of this general nature, it hasbeen the practice to provide many types of these fixtures with variouslight-shielding means. In connection therewith, a number of differentdevices have been employed to secure the light-shielding means to thereflector of the fixture. Usually no gerat difiiculty has beenencountered with these devices insofar as their ability to hold thelight-shielding means in position is concerned. However, it is alsoquite desirable that these devices have other characteristics. Forexample, they should be readily accessible and easy to manipulate,preferably without the use of working tools. Another important featurewhich they should include is means for supporting the light-shieldingmeans in an open position with respect to the reflector. Thislast-mentioned feature is of considerable importance because thereflector and the light-shielding means should be cleaned periodically.

In view of the foregoing, an object of this invention is to provide adevice of the type described which is simple in construction and easy tomanipulate.

Another object is to provide a device which requires no working tools,such as screwdrivers and the like, for its operation.

A further object is to provide a unitary device which includes hingingmeans for pivotally supporting the lightshielding means from thereflector as well as means for securing the light-shielding means to thereflector.

These and other objects, advantages and features are attained, inaccordance with the principles of this invention, by a hingedatchdevice. The hinge portion of this device is pivotally mounted on thelightshielding means itself or on the frame which supports it. The hingeportion is aiso provided with means for effecting an interlocking withthe lower longitudinal edge of the reflector. The latch portion overliesa lateral shelf formed in the reflector and is normally in frictionalengagement therewith, thus securing the reflector in interlockedrelationship with respect to the hinge portion thereof.

in the accompanying drawing, FIGURE 1 is an end elevational view of afluorescent lighting fixture with the light-shielding means secured tothe reflector thereof by the hinge-latch device of this invention, thelight-shielding means also being shown in phantom in the open position.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary detail on an enlarged scale of the hinge-latchdevice and the fixture members with which it is associated.

FIGURE 3 is a respective view of the hinge-latch device.

Referring now to the drawing, particularly FIGURE 1 thereof, the fixtureillustrated therein comprises a chassis it) having a trough-likereflector 12 attached thereto and depending therefrom. A pair offluorescent lamps 14 are shown in phantom to indicate the relativeposition of the lamps within the reflector. A light-shielding panel '16,attached to a substantially rectangular frame 13, is disposed across theopen end of the trough-like reflector 12 and this frame-panel assemblyis supported in this position by the hinge-latch device of thisinvention.

Referring now to FEGURE 3, the hinge-latch device, identified generallyby the reference number 22, comprises a bifurcated hinge 26 and aresilient latch 28 attached to the base portion of the hinge 26 at 34]and extending between the legs thereof. The legs of the bifurcated hinge26 are provided with slots 32 and holes 34, the function and purpose ofwhich will be described below.

Referring now to FIGURES l and 2, particularly FIG- URE 2, thesubstantially rectangular frame 18 which supports the light-shieldingpanel 16 is provided with a laterally extending hook 20. Preferably,there are four of these hooks, two on each longitudinal side, each hookbeing located near a corner of the substantially rectangular frame. Ahinge-latch device 22 of FIGURE 3 is pivotally mounted on each of thehooks 2% by a pin 24 which extends through the eye of the hook andthrough the holes 34 in the legs of the bifurcated hinge 26.

Each ofthe longitudinal sides of the reflector 12 with which thehinge-latch device 22 is associated is provided with a laterallyextending shelf 36 from which a lip 38 defining a longitudinal edge ofthe reflector depends. The lip 38 lies within the slots 32 in the legsof the bifurcated hinge 25 and the resilient latch 28 overlies the shelf36 and is in frictional engagement therewith. Thus the hinge-latchdevice 22, pivotally mounted on the book 20 projecting laterally fromthe frame 18, is securely retained in position with respect to thereflector 12 by mechanical interlocking of the lip 33 of the reflectorwith the bifurcated hinge 26 and by frictional engagement of theresilient latch 28 with the shelf 36 of the reflector.

Both the initial assembling of the light-shielding means and thereflector as well as the displacement of the former from its normalposition with respect to the latter for cleaning of both and othermaintenance operations may be readily effected by one operator andwithout the need for working tools. Disengagement of these two fixturecomponents along one side of the fixture may be effected by simplyraising the resilient latch 28 of each of the two hingelatch devices 22from frictional engagement with the shelf 36 of the reflector and thenrotating the two hinge-latch devices clockwise as viewed in FIGURES 1and 2 about their respective pivot pins 24. During this rotationalmovement the bifurcated hinge 26 of each of the devices 22 will move outof interlocking relationship with respect to the lip 38 of thereflector, thus permitting the light-shielding assembly to swing awayfrom this longitudinal edge of the reflector while being pivotallysupported by the hinge-latch devices along the other longitudinal edgeof the reflector as shown in FIGURE 1.

Return of the light-shielding assembly to its normally closed positionmay be effected quite readily by one operator by merely swinging thelight-shielding assembly counterclockwise from the phantom to the fullposition as shown in FIGURE 1. As the hinge-latch device approaches thelongitudinal edge of the reflector to which it is to be secured, thebifurcated hinge 26 moves into interlocking engagement with the lip 38of the reflector and the resilient latch 28 snaps over onto the shelf 36of the reflector.

What we claim is:

in a lighting fixture, the combination of: an elongated, substantiallyrectangular, trough-like reflector, each of the longitudinal sides ofsaid reflector having a laterally extending shelf and a lip dependingfrom said shelf and defining a longitudinal edge of said reflector; asubstantially rectangular light-shielding panel disposed across the openend of said trough-like reflector; at least two hooks extendinglaterally from each longitudinal side of said panel; and a fasteningdevice piovtally mounted on each of said hooks and in securingengagement with said reflector, each of said fastening devicescomprising a bifurcated hinge having a slot cut in each of the legsthereof and a resilient latch attached at one end thereof to the 3 4base member of said hinge and extending between the 2,873,471 Swanson Fb- 17, 1959 legs thereof,- the lip of said reflector interlocking-with2,997,321 Bobrick Aug. 22, 1961 the slots in the legs of said bifurcatedhinge and the said 3,004,147 Lessner et a1 Oct. 10, 1961 resilient latchoverlying and being in frictional engagement with said shelf of saidreflector. 5 FOREIGN PATENTS References Qited in the file of this patent628,739 Great m Sept- 1949 670,709 Great Britain 1952 UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,279,595 Phillips Apr. 14, 1942 OTHER REFERENCES 2,736,588Lindholm Feb. 28, 1956 10 German application 1,669,289, printed Nov. 19,1959, 2,797,312 Fletcher June 25, 1957 KLll/Gl/U'Z.

